Transfer mechanism for knitting machines



Dec- 8 1925- 1,564,300 I r L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRAN SFER lVliilCHMIIS MFOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l ,3? HG- I-WITNESSES: INVEN TOR Lam/5 1H1 Wdaama Dec. s, 1925 W L. N. D. WILLIAMS ITRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1923 4Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I llmnll I. u I i g 29 v \l' 115 H" y 56 I I 90 3 55 li i A 69 37 I 35 If, ///Z//////}// Y l /fl/ FIG. E

at (e21 I TTORNEYS;

1 -I N VEN TOR:

Dec. 8, 1925- 1,5 4,300

L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10,1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FICi 1E:

. Z5 Z6 0' I o :18 3 1 327' :15 15 I INVENTOR: law's II D. I/VL ZZZMEWITNESSES:

Dec. 8, 1925 1,564,300

' L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May lO, 1 92s 1716 i7 Z, 1 j9 INVENTOR:

WITNESSE Z3 1 Louis ND. Willzazm' fPatented Dec. 8, 1925. I

UNITE-D STA LOUIS N. n. WILLIAMS, oro eonr z, rENnsYLvA NIL mmmsrnamnommrsmron xmrrme nulcrrrmis.v

Application flied May 10, 1823. Serial No, 637,955. i

To all whomit inay concern.

Be it known that I, LOUIS N. D. .WIL-

, ilrarrsga citizen of the United States, residingtgafogontz,county ofMontgomery, State Qof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Transfer.

1 .YMechanism for KnittingMachines, of which the following is aspecification, reference be- --*inghad to the accompanying drawings.

I -Myfinventionrelates to knittingmachines,

, especially to', rotary knittingmachines, and

is, more specifically speaking, directed to improvements insuchniachines for facilitating transfer of fabrics from one machine toanother.

Asis well known" to those skilled. in at knitting arts, the operation offabricf'trans fer hasheretoforealways been-attended by the possibilityof stitch. dropping, and this is especially true when thefabr'ic'produced by a machine is to be transferred-from the needles ofthe latter to a transfer devlce with individual stitch engaging means,so

that it may be again transferred to another 1 machine for further workto be done upon it. A step illustrative of the foregoing is' practicedfor-example in-the manufacture of v hosiery when a stocking top istransferred j ferring the completed blank to alloopingi from theproducing machine to another designed to knit the leg andfoot inintegral continuation of the top; and again, intransmachine, such as.shown. and describedin a Patent No. l,315,064('granted me under date ofSeptember 2, 1919, for closure of its toe pocket. I

The main object of my invention is to enable all operations necessary ordesirable to i the consummation of perfect transfer of knitted fabricsto be effected automatically, theseoperations to include enlarging ordilating of the loops of the terminal course of the fabric inpreparation .for better reception of the points of a transfer device;bodil v displacing tlie'f-abric from the cylinder of the producingmachine-to insure its retention by the transfer device; clamping the.

fabric to the transfer device; and finally dislOdging the transferdevice, with the fabric clamped thereon, frointhe knitting needlessovthat said device canthereafter be readily removed from themachine-without danger of stitch dropping.-'

- togetherwith other subsidiary their attendant advantages, will become.

How this desideratum'lnay attained, objects and '-so far as'it readilyapparent from the detailed descripe T'ns' PATENT, oFF cE.

tion which follows of a typical embodiment of my invention; while theappended claims clearly define the scope of my invention in comes withinmy present knowledg -I Referring tothedrawings, Fig. I is an i1-lus't'ration in elevation-of a circular stockmgkn ttingmachineconvenient for the urposes of my invention, certain portionsthereofbelng broken away and insection-to show some of the importantdetailswhichwould otherwise be concealed,

Fig. II is a partial cross section of the machine taken as indicated bythe arrows IIII in Fig. I showing the control mechanism for certain ofthe instrumentalities which cooperate in facilitating fabric transfer.

Fig. III'is a view' similar' to Fig, 11,

though-somewhat more condensed, showing or xdilated for better receptionof the; points of said transfer device; and

.Figsg' V, VI- and VII are detail views showing successive, positions ofthe transfer device relative to the needle cylinder during transfer ofthe fabric in accordance with my invention. I .In these illustrations,the needle cylinder is indicated at 1, and 'shown'as 'rotatably mountedin the overhanging portion 2 of the bed plate 3 of the machine,-said bedplate being secured to the top of a support ing and housing framework 4.This fra-mework,-it will be observed, afiordsbearings 5, 5- for the maindrive shaftf6-of the machine which carries-the usual drive pulleys,

whereof one is indicated atZJ The drive of the shaft 6 is translated toproduce either rotary or oscillatory motion of the needle cylinder in aWell known manner, through various gear connections generally shown inthe drawings, and is determined by shifting of a clutch collar 8 on saidshaft 6. This clutch collar 'is'engaged' by a shifter arm 9 and iscontrolled b the main pattern drum of the machine indicated by thenumeral 10,

the latter being mounted upon a countershaft 11 journalled inappropriate bearings der 1 is provided with longitudinally extainedin ashell 20 shown as surrounding properly tending peripheral grooves 15 forvertical guidance of the needles indicated at 16. Web holders 17cooperate with the needles to form fabric stitches in a well knownmanner, and are guided for horizontal reciprocation relative to theneedles in radial grooves of an annulus 18 secured about the top of thecylinder 1. A cap ring 19, sur mounted upon the annulus 18, carries thenecessary cams for actuating the web hold- The needle actuating cams areconthe lower portion of the cylinder 1, and have a suitable control (notshown) associated with them for needle leveling. Yarn is directed to theneedles by interchangeable feeds 21 carried by. the annular latch guardindicated at 22, said guard being pivotally' mounted so that it may beswung rearward, as considered in the illustration, and out of the waywhen transfer is to be efiected. The

fabric produced by the machine is received and protected in a tube 23which serves as an axial prolongation of the needle cylinder, said tubedepending from the bottom of the overhang 2 whereto it is secured in anaproved manner. i

The parts thus far described are such as ordinarily found in standardtypes of stocking knitters, and the brief outline given will suflice tomake clear their relation to the features novel to my invention, andthese will now be taken up in detail. Confining attention for the timebeing to Figs. IV, V, VI and VII of the drawings it will be observedthat within the top of a needle cyl-' inder 1, is an annulus 25, thesame being configured for maintenance against lateral displacement,while adapted for slight axial movement relative to the cylinder, andappropriately slotted to assist guid ance of the web holders 17. Aboutmidway of its height, said annulus has a sloping, or more'accuratelyspeaking, a conical peripheral surface 26, which, when the annulus isdrawn downwardly, acts as a wedge against an expansible, helical springband 27. This band is in turn, operative upon the needles to flex'themsimultaneously outwardly and thus'to expand the needle circle as shownin Fig. IV in order to facilitate application of a transfer device, suchas generally indicated by the numeral 28 in the drawings, to the needlesin a manner to be more fullyevplained later. a The said transfer'device,it

will be observed, comprises a circular series of stitch or looo ngaginginstrumentahtles in the form of points 29, and in subsequentdescription, will, for convenience of better distinction, be referred tosimply as the point ring. The points 29 are anchored in a head 3Oconstituting a part of the shell 31 of the ring, and correspond innumber provided with an annular member 32 characterized by radialprojections 33 that extend outwardly between the points 29, and.

which is axially shiftable relative to the shell 31 under guidance ofpins 3 1 traversing apertures in the'head 30. The pins 34protrudeibeyond the head 30and afford attachment for a circular pressureplate whereby the member 32 'may be actuated from above. Said member 32functions in a dual capacity, in the first instance acting to effectregistry of the needles of the machine and the points 29 to ensurepositive alignment between them during application-of the ring forreception of the fabric,.and, in the second instance, acting as astripper when the fabric is to be doffedfrom the ring in subsequenttransfer to another machine; Since the first function alluded to is theone pertinent in the present connection, the member 32 will, in furtherdescription and in the claims, be termed the registering and aligningmeans.

The oflic'e of shifting the wedge annulus 25 is relegated to'a sleeve 36disposed for;

vertical axial movement within the needle cylinder 1, and formed at itstop-with an outwardly projecting circumferential flange 37 designed tooverlap said annulus. This flange 37, is slotted in correspondence withthe web holder slots in the annulus 25, and it is to be especiallynoted, extends into close proximity to the needle shanks, so as tounderlie the loops or stitches'S of the termi nal course of the fabricindicated conventionally at F. Downward movement 'of the fabric intothe-needle cylinder 1, is eased by provision of a flare 38 adjacent thetop -or mouth of the sleeve 36. The latter will again be refer ed to insubsequent description of another ofiice which it performs, and

'also in connection with the means whereby its movements are induced andcontrolled.

For the purpose of placing the point ring 28 upon the needles of themachine I provide a manipulating mechanism 40 therefor,

see Fig. I, which, per se, forms the subject of a copending applicationSerial No. 620,587, filed February 23, 1923, but on account of itsimportance in the present connection,rI will nevertheless proceed todescribe the same briefly. This mechanism in- 'cludes a carrier for theoint ring in the form of an arm 41 which is ast'upon a rock shaftr'ipheral cam 50 of a cam drum 51. Said- 42 journalled in a bracket 43secured tothe bed plate ofthemachine. One end of the shaft 42 has fastto it a gear pinion 45 which drum is mounted to rotate about a verticalaxis 52 which depends from, and is secured in'an extension 53 of thebracket 43 previ:

ously referred to.

Suitable mechanlsm such as shown in the application mentioned in thepreceding.

paragraph, is provided for controlling intermittent rotation of'the camdrum 51, the latter having attached to its. top, a ratchet wheel 55adapted to be actuated by a pawl.

56 on an oscillating arm 57 which is -appropriately co-ordinated withthe control mechanism. Thus when thec'am drum 51 is rotated, the sectorarm 46"is shifted in anticlockwise direction, movement thus'imparted toit being transmitted to the pinion 45 and. causing downward swinging ofthe carrier 41 fromthe position illustrated in Fig. I to that of Fig. Vwith the point ring 28 .poised above the needle cylinder. The point ringis temporarily locked to the carrier by means of a pin'58 which engagesin registering aperture in the shell 31 of said ring. The locking pin 58projects from one end of a lever 59 which is pivoted at 60 to the arm41, said lever extending rearwardly ofits pivot 60 and terminating in alaterally turned end 61. When the carrier arm-41'is lowered, the end 61of'the lever 59 takes a position directly above a-pushrod .62 guided forvertical motion by the bracket. 43 andarranged to be axially shiftedthrough themedium of'a groove 63 of the cam drum 51,

to effect, at the propertime, release-0f the Y during fabric transfersimultaneously withpoint ring 28. The rod 62 has near its'upper end, alateral projection-65 adapted to engage a lug 66 on a wing '67 of thecarrierarm 41 tolock the latter against movement the. release of thepointling as above noted. A second push rod 68 with an adjustableextension'69 is provided'to engage a lug 7 0" at the end of an actuatingarm 71 integrally formed with ayoke lever 72 which is fulcrumed at .73to the carrier 41: In the ends of its extremities, the yoke lever 72carries pins 74 which play within slots 5 at opposite sides of thecarrier 41, andengagev the upper-edge of the shell 31 of the point ring28 to depress the same fromthe position of Fig. V so that its pointspenetrate the fabric loops or stitches on the needles as best shown inFig. VI. The rod 68is shifted by virtue of the-engagement of a roller 76at its lower end with a third groove 7 7 in the cam drum 51.

Inorder to ensure proper registrji and alignment of the.needles...relative to the points 'of thepoint ring, the latteris-initially placed in on its carrier 41 with the 'mcmber'32 fu yprojectedas indicated in Figs. I and- V, T-As acon'sequence, when the: I

point ring is applied, the member 32will be the first to engagethenedles in-.the intervals between its outwardly extending radialprojections 33, threby,- in continued-g move;

ment of the ring, maintaining the hee'dles andgythebpoints 29 in perfectre ry' a manner 1 vious from Fig. VIJ I said pointsmnnotpossiblyfail-to. penetrate the loops S of the terminalicours'e-of'the Inaccordance'with myi-in've'ntion and additional preparatory step ispractised before h s ay the fabric loops produced ,by the machine I areactually shifted from the needles,

namely, to displace the'knitted fabric'from within the cylinderand tothrust itthrough the point ring. The means for accomplishing thisincludes a plunger 80adapted to be vactuated by a-mechanism '81 whichis.only partly shown herein, but its-operation will be readily understoodfrom another Patent No. 1,377,239 granted to me under date of May. 10,1921. Saidmechanism 81 is connected through a link 82 to the-push rod 68previously mentioned, the latter thus serv; ing as the actuating meanstherefor inlieu, of the handle shown in the patent-Supra.

At this juncture it will be convenient to Y to. the .point ring 20.whilethe latter is being separated, with the fabric thereomfrom the needles,and-.this is accomplished simply by VI, it first engages the fabric;from beneath,

describe'the, further function of the"-sleeve 36 which is to effectclamping of the fabric upward movement of said sleeve. As the v Ivsleeve rises from the position shown in Fig.

incidentally clamping the same againstthe stripper 32.01? the point ring28, and there after lifts the ring bodily, all the while maintaining the.fabr iccla-mped as ,noted,

thereby preventing stripping the stitches from the points 29.;fiTheextent of-the up f ward motion of the sleeve is such as will causecomplete dislodgement; of the points 29 from the needles so that thering may be thereafter safely removed without danger ofstitch dropping.TheQinstrnmentalities which determine the movements of the sleeveinclude (see Figs. I, II'andIII of the drawings) a pair of fingers 85and 86 which are rigidly secured to a rock shaft 87 so that the angularrelation between them' is at fall times maintained. The finger 85 isinfluenced by a cam projection or lug 87 on the periphery of theauxillary attern drum 12 already referred to; while the finger 86 issubject to a cam projection 88 likewise on the periphery of the camdrum, but in a difl'erent plane from that of the lug 87. In order toallow for alternate clearing of the fingers 85 and 86, the drum 12 iscut away as at 89 and 90 respectively (see Fig. II); Also fixed to theshaft 87 and preferably as an integral attachment of the finger 86, is alever arm 91, which, through an interposed link 92 is connected to apivot pin 93 extending through a longi- 'tudinal slot 94in the tube 23and'projecting laterally from a slide bar 95 secured to and dependingfrom the sleeve 36, see Fig.

I. The slide bar 95 is slotted as at 96, Fig. I, so as to be guided inits verticalmovement by penetrating studs 96 fixedin the wall of thetube 23 and formed with appropriate heads to overlap the front of thebar. As a consequence of the foregoing provision, itv willfbe observedthat through rotation of the cam drum 12 in the direction of the arrowin Fig. II, the projection 87 will be the first to become active,thereby swinging the lever 85 and inducing corresponding'motion in theshaft 87 and the lever 91, with the result that the sleeve 36 the finger86 resting upon the projection 88 permit its passage. 'However, afterthe pin to maintain the sleeve 36 in its elevated position to'perrnitthe removal of the point ring, or if further motion of the cam drum 12should be necessaryto otheroperations of the machine before stopping ofthe latter, I use a latch mechanism to function as a means formaintaining the sleeve 36 temporarily elevated. This latch mechanismincludes a lever 97 of bell crank form pivoted for free motion at 98 tothe outside of the tube 23. At one side, the vertical arm 99 of thelever 97 is concaved as at 100 to afford a cam edge for cooperatlng withthe stud 93, so that as the latter is raised, the lever 97 isautomatlc-ally swung aside to clears the top of the arm 99, the lever 97reassumes its original positlon and detains the stud 93 againstdescending. In this way therefore, the sleeve 36 and hence the pointring supported by it, is sustained in elevation so that the latter maybe removed as before. g

- -When the machine is to be restarted, it is obviously necessary thatthe sleeve 36, after removal of the point ring therefrom, be retractedto the normal position which it ordi narily occupies in the needlecyhnder 1 as shown in Fig. VI. To this end, the arm 101 of the lever 97is connected by means of a link 102 to some part ofthe machine whichmust be moved incidentally to the starting of the machine.Thisflconnection may be made as herein'shown with mechanism 105 usefulin' transferring a new fabric, for example a stocking top, upon themachine for addition of the leg and foot. Said mechanism includes aswingable carrier 106, (similar to the carrier 41 for the point ring 28)fulcrumed at 107, to a fixed post 108 rising from the bed plate 3 of themachine; a latch member for locking a transfer device 109 (which fordistinction from the point ring I'will term, quill ring) temporarilytothe carrier 106 while the latter is being swun to a position above theneedle cylinder; and a'hand lever 110 for displacing the quill ring fromits carrier when the fabric is to be shifted from the quills of the ringonto the needles of the-machine. The link 102, y

it will be noted, is connected at its upper en'd, to a pin 111projecting from the quill ring carrier. By this construction, therefore, as the quill ring is turned overjto place a new web upon theneedles of the machine, the link 102 is lifted, thereby causing-the arm99 of the bell crank latch. lever 97 to be shifted beyond theprovince'of the pin 93 and permitting the sleeve 36 and its appe'ndagesto drop under normal positions.

I preferably arrange for the'automatic withdrawal of the latch guardring 22 after the completion of the knitting by the machine. 'Themechanism for doing this also forms part of the copending patentapplication to which I have already called attention hereinbefore. Saidmechanism is only partly shown herein at 112.. I

In order to maintain the needle circle exs panded during application ofthe point ring 28 to'the cylinder 1, until the needles and points 29 areproperly registered, it is nec-- essary to'hold the annulus 25temporarily depressed. This function is performed by a second latch.element 115 which operates upon the stud 93 in a manner very similar tothat described of the latch lever 97. The said element 115 is in theform of a yoke fulcrumed, as at 116, to opposite sides of the tube 23,see Figs. I'and II, and has a depending finger 117 adapted to swing intoposition above the stud 93 to temporarily detain the same, andaccordingly the sleeve 36 and annulus 25, from rising under the actionof the spring band 27. The opposite extremity 118 of the yokev 115 iscon nected by means of a link 119, with a pin 120 on the carrier arm 41(Fig-I) for the point ring 28 so as to be tripped as the latterapproaches the limit of its inward swing.

Means are also provided, of course, for

gravity influence to their.

maintaining the web holders temporarily- 'in the retracted positionshown in the draw-'- ingsdurin transfer so as to prevent them from interering with removal of the fabric from the needles. Such means may be ofany approved form suitable to the purpose. Briefly described thesequence of operations involved in the transfer of knitted fabrics inaccordance with my invention is as ring to the knitting needles. Whenthese initial stepsare accom lished, the carrier 106 is retracted towith raw the empty quill ring 109 from the needles and to permit removalof the quill ring, for re-use. The

needle latch uard 22 is thereupon lowered and the machlne started toknit,in the well known manner, the stocking leg and foot,

upon the completion of which the needles are automatically leveled bysuitable means such as shown in my application No. 619,600, filed fFebruary 17, 1923, the webholders retracted,

the latch guard With-drawn bythe mechanism 112, and the wedge annulus 25drawn downwardly by shifting of the sleeve 36 to spread the needles forthe pur ose of em the latch 1 15. This is followed y rotation,

larging'ordilating the termina course of stitches held by the needlesas. shown in Fig. IV, the annulus being'thereafter temporarilymaintained in the depressed osition by of the cam drum 51 which resultsin bringjing-aboutdownwardswinging of the car- 0 rierarm 41 to positionthe point ring'28 over the needles throughactuationof the gear sector 46and pinion '45. The'entry of the points 29 into the needlef'circle .isob-,

viously facilitated by the preparatoryspreading of the latteryiand thisis also true ofthe registry and alignment of the needles 'WitliKthepoints in the interspaces "of the member 32 of the ring. Just as thecarrier 41 reaches the limitfof its inward swing with the point ring inthe position of Fig.- V, the latch 115 is automatically :tripped withthe result. that the sleeve 36, and with it the annulus. 25 are freedtolthe influence of the sprin band '27 thereby permitting contraction 0%the needle -circle upon the rin 28. As a consequence, the needles fallbac against the aligned. points- 29 and repose in this positionduring-the remainder of the transfer operation. Further motion of thecam drum 51 causes, successively, release of the point ring. from thecarrier 41 and -concurrent locking of the latter a ainst move-.- mentby. actuation of the vertlcal push- 62. as pret'iously explained; anddepression of. the rin'g 28 to penetrateits points through the enlargedloop: on theneedles of theme-- chine, simultaneously with displacementof the fabric bodily from within the needle cylinder and thrusting ofthe same into and through the point ring by actuation of the push rod68; and final withdrawal of the various parts of the mechanism 40 to thenormal position illustratedin Fig. I, leavin the point ring on theneedles. The next 5 ifting ofthe auxiliary pattern drum 12 brings thecam 111g 88 into engagement .with the finger 86'thereby eflecting theelevation of the sleeve 36 and the, dislodgement ofthe "point ring 28,with the transferred -.fabric,

In conclusion it is thought expedient in,

from the needles.

order-to render clear the exact meaning of certain of the claims whichfollow, to point .out that the sleeve 36 serves as a common i actuatorin bringing about the various steps essential to perfect'transfer ofthe. fabric I from the needles of the machine to the points of thereceiving point ring 28. Attention is also particularly called to thefact that in effecting separation of the points of the ring possible forthe ring to tilt'angularly relative.:to the axis of the needle cylinder,or to become laterally or circumferentially' placed, thereby insuringpositive 'maintee,

,29 from the needles of the machine, it is im- I nance of the verticalalignment of the points and "the needles during their separation.

fabric to the transferring, while importantin preventing displacement ofthe-loops or,

fectingtransfe'r of plainwo'rk, is doubly so in connectionwith thetransfer of a. completed stock-in reason of its in erposition at oneside of the tube and furthermore by reason of being necessarilycompacted for accommodation in the transfer ring, has aftendency toforce the v loops at that side of the tube off the points tion of thesleeve 36. I

Having thus described my. invention, "I claimr The points and needlesare thus safeguarded against bendin and the fabric stitches or loopsagainst istortion. Clamping of the' stitches during separation of thering in ef- 1...

where the toe pocket, by j said rin The ,latter contingency is thereforeentlrely offset by the clamping ac- 1. In a knitting machine, thecombination- 1 I of a needle .cylinder, a transfer ring with. J

points for indlvidually penetrating the loops of the terminal course offabric on theneedles, non-penetrating means for engaging said loops andpreventingthem from ,bemg withdrawn from the pointsincidentally todislodgmentjof' the ring from the 'needlesfduring transfer. 7 I 2. In aknitting machine, thecombination of aneedle c linder,'a transfer ringwith points for individually penetrating the loops of the terminalcourse of fabric on the needles, and non-penetrating means independentof the ring for engaging said loops and preventing them from beingwithdrawn from the points incidentally to dislodgment of the ring fromthe needles during transfer.

3. In a knitting machine,

I of a needle cylinder, a transfer ring with points for individuallypenetrating the loops of the terminal course 'of fabric on the needles,clamp means independent of the ring for holding said loops andpreventing them frombeing withdrawn from the points incidentally todislodgment of the ring from the needles.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, atransfer ring with points for individually penetrating the loops of theterminal course of the fabric on the needles, and means for dislodgi'ngthe ring from the needles in effecting transfer, said means incidentallyclamping the loops to ed to be deposited upon the needles of thecylinder to receive fabric therefrom, means for dislodg'ing the ringfrom the cylinder to facilitate its removal with the transferred fabric,and automatic means instrumental in effecting restoration of saidvdislodging means to the normal retracted position upon restarting of themachine.

7. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, atransferring adapted to be'deposited upon the cylinder to receivefabric" therefrom, means fordislodging the ring with the transferredfabric from .the

cylinder, means for temporarily locking the 'dislodging -means inprojected position to facilitate removal'of the ring and fabric, andmeans for automatically tripping the locking means; to permit return ofthe dis lodging fineans to normal retracted position upon-restarting themachine.

- 81111 a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, apoint ring adapted todepositedupon the cylinder to receive fabrictherefrom, meansfor dislodging the point rin with the transferred fabricfrom the f'cylin er, meansfortemporarily maintaiiiing the dislodgingmeans projected to s' facilitate, removal of thepoint'ring; and fabric,means for applying a quill ring to the cylinder-for transfer of a newfabric the combination ing means for temporarily to the machine, andmeans coordinated with the said applying means .instrumental duringmovement of the latter in effecting re- 'storation of the aforementioneddislodging means to the normal retracted position.

' .9: In a'knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, apoint ringadapted tobe deposited upon the cylinder to receive knittedfabric therefrom, means for engaging the-ring from beneath to lift itwith the transferred fabric clear of the needles, look- I maintainingsaid 'dislodging means'elevated to facilitate removal of the ring withthe transferred fabric, a swingable carrier for applying a quill ring tothe cylinder for transfer of a new fabric to the machine, andconnections whereby the locking means aforesaid is tripped duringmovement of said carrier to permit the dislodging means to resume itsnormal retracted position;

10. In a. knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, 21.point ring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, means forengaging the ring from beneath during transfer of the fabric thereto tolift the same clear of the needles, devices for temporarily maintainingsaid means in elevated position to permit removal of the ring, a tripassociated. with said devices, a transfer ring for .transferring fabricto the needles, a movable carrier for the transfer ring, and connections.co-ordinating the carrier and the trip whereby, the means aforesaid isrestored to retracted position upon movement of said carrier in thecourse of transferring fabric to the needles.

11. In a knitting machine, the combifnation of a needle cylinder, apoint ring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles,instrumentalities 'for enlarging the fabric loops to facilitateintroduction thereinto of the points of the ring-aforesaid, andrcommonmeans'for first actuating said loop enlarging instrumentalities,thenstripping the fabric loops from the needles, and finally lifting thering, with the transferred fabric,

clear of theneedles.

12. In a knittin machine the combination of a needle cylin er, a pointring ada ted to receive knitted fabric from the nee' les, a wedge,annulus concentrically disposed 'within the cylinder for spreading theneedles to enlarge the fabric loops in preparation for the points of thering aforesaid, and a 1 sleevejindependently shift-able within thecylinder and operative when moved in one direction, to actuate the wedgeannulus, and

when moved in themopposite direction to first strip the fabric loopsfrom the needles and finally to lift the ring, with the fabric, clearvof. the needles.

13. In a knitting machine the combination 7 of 'a needle cylinder, apoint ring adapte'dto receive knitted fabric'fromthe needles, a

wedge annulus concentrically disposed within the cylinderfor spreadingthe needles to enlarge the fabric loops in preparation. for the pointsof the ring aforesaid, a sleeve independently shiftable within thecylinder and operative when moved in one direction,

- to actuate the wedge annulus, and when moved inthe opposite directionto first strip the fabric loopsfromthe needles, and finally to lift thering,with thefabric, clear of the needles, and devices for automaticallyactuating the sleeve to perform its allotted functions in the ordernamed.

14. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle cylinder, a pointring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, a

wedge annulus concentrically disposed'within the .cylinder for spreadingthe needles to ating the sleeve to perform its allotted functions intheorder named, including a rotary cam'. drum, a bell crank lever with itsex-- enlarge the fabric loops in preparation for the points of thering-aforesaid, a sleeve L independentlyshiftable within the cylinderand operative when movedin one direction,

to actuate the wedge annulus, and when moved in the opposite directiontofirst strip the fabric loops from the needles and finally to'lift thering, with the fabric, 'clear of the needles, and devices forautomatically 'actu-- v trem'itiesadapted to be alternately engagedby-cams on-said drum, and interposed link connections for imparting themovements of the bell crank lever to the sleeve.

' '15; In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, apoint ring, means i to deposit the point ring on-the cylinder toreceive'knitted fabric therefrom, ejecting means for thrusting thefabricfrom within the: cylinder and through the ring preparamy to transfer,separate means for dis dodging the ring from the cylinderto facili--tate its removal with the transferred fabric a from the machine, andmeans for automatically controlling actuation of the ring -de-' positingmeans, the fabric ejecting means,

' and the ring dislodging means inthe order mentioned p -16. In aknitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ring,means to; deposit the point ring on the cylinder to vreceiveknittedfabric therefrom, means to.

' 1 eject the fabric from within the cylinder and f i thrusting the samethrough the point ring preparatory to transfer, separate means for'dislodging the ringfrom' the cylinder, means for temporarily lockingthe dislodging means in projected position to facilitate its removalwith the transferred fabric from' the machine, means. for automaticallycon trolling the actuation of the point ring .de-

positing means, the fabric 'e ecting means, I and the point :ringdislodging means in the order specified, mean for applying a quill"ringwith new fabric the cylinder, and

concurrently-operated means for tripping the locking means aforesaid toenable the dislodging means to resume the normal retracted position forrestarting of the machine. i

17. In a knitting machine, the combination of I a needle cylinder, apoint ring adapted to receive the fabric from the nee- ;dles, means forenlarging the fabric loops to facilitate introduction thereinto of thepoints of the pointring, means for thrusting the fabric bodily from thecylinder.

' through the transferring, means for advancing the fabric loops fromthe needles, clamping the fabric to the ring, and at the same-timelifting the ring clear of the needles, and mechanism for controlling thevar1ous functions aforesaid in the order named 18.. Ina knittingmachine, the combination ofa needle cyllnder, a point ring adapted toreceive fabric from the needles, means for spreading the needle circleto facilitate reception of the ring and to enlarge the fab-' ric loopsin preparation for the points of said ring, and means operativeincidentally to deposit of the ring upon the cylinder to effect releaseof the needles for repose againsfthe aligned points during transfer ofthe fabric.

19. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a pointring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, means forspreading the needle circle to facilitate reception. of they ring and toenlarge the fabric loops in preparation for the. points ofsaid ring, amovable carrier for positioning the ring to align its points with theneedles, and means coordi-. nated with the carrier for automaticallyeffecting release of the needles for repose against'the aligned pointsduring transfer of the fabric. a

20. In almitting. machine, the-combination of a'needle cylinder, a pointring adapted to'receive knitted fabrlc from the needles, a springinfluencedwedge annulus concentric'ally disposed within the needlecylinder, means for' shifting the wedge annulus to spread the needlecircle for the-purposes of facilitating introduction of the ring andenlarging the fabric loops in preparation for the points of said ring,latch mechanism for locking the shifting means aforesaid to maintain theneedles temporarily spread, a

movable carrier for positioning the ring to means for depositing atransfer ringupon the cylinder with its points penetrating the dilatedfabric loops, means operati-Ve incidentally to actuation of fl e-depositing means to release the needles for repose a ainst the pointsof the ring, means for dislodging the ring from thefcylinder tofacilitate its removal with the transferred fabric, and means to controlactuation of the ring depositing means and the ring dislodging means inthe order specified.

22. In a knitting machine. the combina tion of a needle cylinder, meansfor spread- "the cylinder with its points penetrating the dilated.fabric loops, means operative incidentally to actuation of thedepositing i means to release the needles for repose agalnst the pointsof the ring, means to eject the knitted fabric from within the cylinderand through the ring, mcans to dislodge the ring from the cylinder tofacilitate removal with. the transferred fabric, and means to controlactuation of the ring deposlting means, the fabric ejecting means, andthe ring d slodgmg means in the order spec fied.

; In testimony whereof, I have hereunto "signed my name at Philadelphia;Pennsylvania this 7th day of May 1923. 3 LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS.

